PENTHOUSE NORTH appears to be an unacknowledged remake of the Audrey Hepburn vehicle WAIT UNTIL DARK in which the actress played a blind woman menaced by hoods in her apartment. In this one, it's Michelle Monaghan who finds herself at the mercy of a couple of vicious thugs who are desperate to get their hands on some missing loot.
The two movies have the same premise but the general narrative is fairly different. And it's clear from the beginning that this is no WAIT UNTIL DARK. It is, however, a solid enough little thriller that makes good use of its single-location setting and which keeps the suspense ratcheted up from the outset. Yes, there are the usual implausibilities and plot holes that these kinds of high-concept thrillers usually have, but for the most part it works.
One of the biggest detractions is Monaghan, I have to say. This actress showed a lot of promise when I saw her back in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, but in this and SOURCE CODE she's been pretty bland. At least there's one seasoned performer in the cast, Michael Keaton playing the chief bad guy, and he seems to be having a ball with this. In any case, it's not a perfect film but it did keep me watching.
The two movies have the same premise but the general narrative is fairly different. And it's clear from the beginning that this is no WAIT UNTIL DARK. It is, however, a solid enough little thriller that makes good use of its single-location setting and which keeps the suspense ratcheted up from the outset. Yes, there are the usual implausibilities and plot holes that these kinds of high-concept thrillers usually have, but for the most part it works.
One of the biggest detractions is Monaghan, I have to say. This actress showed a lot of promise when I saw her back in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III, but in this and SOURCE CODE she's been pretty bland. At least there's one seasoned performer in the cast, Michael Keaton playing the chief bad guy, and he seems to be having a ball with this. In any case, it's not a perfect film but it did keep me watching.